Kilohana Suite at Fairmont Kea Lani, Maui, one of dozens of Hawaii hotels available through Classic Vacations.
Classic Vacations launched its updated website, www.classicvacations.com/travel-agent and consumers are no longer allowed to book directly on it. The ability to check rates, view hotel availability, or receive a quote is now a feature reserved exclusively for travel professionals. The news was announced at the Signature Travel conference in Las Vegas by Dave Ferran, senior director of sales, and met with loud applause from attending advisors.
The site now states the benefits of using an experienced travel agent, and potential travelers will only be allowed to browse content that is meant to inspire travel. To make a purchase, visitors will be directed to a list of travel advisors near them.
In addition to the travel agent exclusive online booking engine, Classic Vacations has also enhanced the functionality of its search result pages. The website improvements aim to provide travel agents with clear and easy-to-read search results, says the company. If an agent is already a member of Classic Assist, they should simply log in to the website to use the online booking engine. Those new to Classic Assist will need to go to the website and register in order to use the online booking engine.